Zutara Week 2010
by Wohitzi
Summary: My entries for Zutara Week 2010, though the title should tell you that much.
1. Family

The first thing Katara noticed about the Fire Nation village was that it was busy. Everywhere she looked, people were walking through the small port town in groups and couples, moving between booths that had been set up haphazardly on both sides of the narrow streets. The street vendors shouted out to passersby in hopes of convincing them to check out their goods, their stands decorated with bright banners and sporting everything from spicy foods to colourful masks to noisemakers.

"What is this?" she asked, narrowly avoiding a little boy running full-tilt and spinning an object that made an obnoxiously loud rattling sound.

Sokka, trying to wring his shirt dry of foul smelling liquid a stumbling man had spilled on his shirt, scowled and said, "Does it really matter? All the regular shops are blocked off or closed – how are we gonna get our food?"

"I heard some guy yelling about some sort of flake-thing. Couldn't we just buy a bunch of that?"

"Trust me, Toph, you do _not_ want fire flakes."

"What's wrong with fire flakes?" Zuko asked, tuning into the conversation for the first time since they had arrived in the village. So far, he had been surprisingly at ease amid all the chaos, absorbing it all with the slightest of smiles on his face.

"Gee, I don't know," Sokka said, tapping his chin in mock thought. "How 'bout the fact that it's like _eating fire_."

Blinking, Zuko continued to look perplexed.

"What day is it?" Aang asked, adjusting the broad-brimmed straw hat that hid his arrow and observing the hectic scene with increasing giddiness. He turned to his firebending teacher, beaming and wide-eyed as he asked, "Does the Fire Nation still celebrate family day?"

"What's Family Day?" Suki asked, standing so close to Sokka that one had to wonder if they had become fused at the hip and were simply too embarrassed to tell anyone.

"It's a Fire Nation holiday," Zuko explained. "Families go out to festivals like this and celebrate their . . . family-ness, and couples come out to, uh, celebrate their futures. People without any real family generally use it as an excuse to get hammered by saying their celebrating the memory of loved ones."

Eyebrows bunching together, Aang frowned. "I don't remember anyone getting hit with hammers a hundred years ago . . ."

Beside him, Sokka smacked his palm to his forehead.

"I dunno about you guys," Toph said, starting to walk away, "but when I see a party, I prefer to join in on it."

"Wait! We should – " Katara started, but the tiny blind girl had already been swallowed by the crowd. Gaze darting through the madness, she searched for some trace of green – wait, no red. Toph was wearing her Fire Nation clothing. But so was _everyone_; that was the point of blending in.

"Uh," Sokka said, staring in the direction their friend had disappeared in, "I _think_ we may have a problem."

XxXx

"How could she be so stupid? I mean, she of all people should know how dangerous it is to go wandering around alone, especially in the Fire Nation! I know she's got, like, super-senses and has that whole 'I-can-take care-of-myself' mentality but that doesn't mean we're not going to worry or that she's invincible or –"

Zuko pinched the bridge of his nose, hoping to stave off his quickly developing headache. Ever since they had split up to look for Toph, Katara had been babbling nonstop about the insanity of the situation. He was torn between marvelling at how little she needed to breath and wishing he had opted to go with Sokka and Suki instead. Watching the couple make googly eyes at each other would be far more bearable than this. Plus, it was a universally known fact that Aang liked Katara; he probably would have _enjoyed_ her senseless rambling.

"Are you listening?"

Great.

"Look," he said, grabbing her elbow and pulling her away from the rushing current of the crowd, ignoring her protests. "I know you're worried – we all are. But ranting like a crazy woman isn't really going to help matters. If anything, it's going to lead to _two_ missing people . . ."

At first, Katara looked genuinely confused, only to have her eyes grow wide with realization. They narrowed just as quickly, blue irises seeming to darken like storm clouds as she opened her mouth to retort.

"Can I int'rest ya in some promise rings?"

Both whipped around to face the man addressing them. He grinned eagerly, revealing all his teeth and a few missing ones, as he gestured to the assortment of rings lain out at his booth.

"We're not –" Katara started, scowling so deeply her face began to look like a very convincing mask.

"Sure," Zuko said at the same time.

They both shot each other a look.

"Excuse us," Katara said, tugging Zuko a step away from the vendor. Leaning in close to him, she hissed, "_What are you doing_?"

"Remembering our cover."

"We never agreed on a cover!"

"Well, what do you want me to tell people? They'll never believe we're related." As he spoke, he grabbed one of her wrists and pressed her palm against his free hand, demonstrating the blatant contrast in skin tone.

Glaring at their joined hands, she muttered, "We could be distant cousins . . ."

"Cousins don't celebrate family day one-on-one. The connected parents would at least be with them."

She sighed, somehow managing to look even more annoyed. Glancing back at the vendor, she seemed to contemplate for a moment, worry and frustration drawing lines across her forehead. ". . . Fine. But nothing expensive, and only if we ask him about Toph. Say she's your blind sister."

With that, the pair moved back over to the vendor, donning identical forced smiles and dutifully holding hands. The man and his missing teeth continued to grin at them, sweeping one arm over the table as he said, "Take yer pick."

"What one would you like, _dear_?"

"I don't know, _honey_. I'm a colonist, remember? You choose."

Gaze roaming over the vast assortment of rings, Zuko struggled to hide his annoyance. The tiny circles came in everything from cheap bronze to gleaming gold, some plain and others encrusted with rubies or diamonds or any other variety of precious gems. As he considered their options, Katara tried asking the vendor if he had seen Toph, channelling both her frustration and her worry into the conversation.

"She just ran off without a word – we barely looked away for a second and then _poof_! She was gone."

"Oh, well, 'm very sorry to hear tha', but I ain't seen nobody who fits yer description. Maybe she's at the puppet show in the square."

". . . She's _blind_."

"So wha'?"

Zuko found himself drawn to one particular ring; it was gold and silver intertwined to form a circe, the start and end of both completely indistinguishable, as if the two materials had never been separate. Picking it up to study it more closely, he saw that they overlapped each other at some points and pulled away to form small gaps at others, creating an endless pattern of in and out, together and apart. Of all the items at the booth, it was the only one he felt the slightest inclination to buy.

It was pricey, though – not the most expensive option available, but certainly not cheap.

Then again, he had plenty of his _own_ money he could spend. Glancing at Katara, who was still busy bickering with the vendor, he decided she didn't necessarily have to know the cost.

"I'll take this one," he said, cutting into their conversation as he held up the ring for the man to see. Tossing the appropriate amount of coins on the counter of the stall, he grabbed Katara's hand and pulled her away before she had a chance to recognize their value.

"About time you picked something," she grumbled when they had stopped in a nearby alley, safe from the chaos of the crowd. "I was _this_ close to – hey, you only got one ring!"

"Yeah," Zuko said, grabbing her hand and gently sliding the band onto her finger. "The guy always gives it to the girl. By doing so he promises himself to her, and in accepting it she promises herself to him."

Jerking her hand away, she studied the piece of jewellery in the dim light of the alley, its weight feeling foreign. "Seems kind of one-sided to me . . ."

"Personally, I don't see how it's any different from your culture's engagement necklaces."

Crossing her arms, she glared at the wall and said nothing.

"Aw."

The simple, single syllable made the pair turn so fast they almost got whiplash. "Toph!"

The blind girl, standing at the entrance of the alleyway, grinned deviously as she said, "About time you two lovebirds got together. Gotta admit, I didn't think you'd have to balls to do it, Sparky."

And that's how the world renowned earthbender found herself running from a fight for the first time in her life.

* * *

Author's Notes: _HAPPY ZUTARA WEEK 2010! 8D I hope you guys are as pumped as I am for all the fanart and fanfic that'll be pouring from the internet all week. _

_This was an interesting piece to write - I started it as soon as I heard this years themes, and I was a feeling a little rusty at drabbling after such a long time only writing chapter stories. I think it turned out alright, but it's really up to you guys to decide. n_n_

**Disclaimer:**** "Avatar: The Last Airbender" and all of its characters are property of Nickelodeon, which I am in no way associated with. **_  
_


	2. Change

Staring at the Pai Sho board sitting on a low table between him and the ship's cook, Iroh contemplated his next move. They were at a stalemate (Niku had really improved his game) and his next tile placement could make or break his reputation as a Pai Sho master.

Which to choose – the Eye of the Dragon piece, or the White Lotus?

"Uncle!"

Zuko burst into the room, causing the crew – which had clustered around the duelling men – to scramble back to their stations. The exile paid them no mind, however, and headed straight for Iroh, his face a mask of determination.

"Oh, hello, Prince Zuko," his uncle greeted sunnily, managing to remain calm like always despite his ruined game (a crew member had bumped the table in his hurry, knocking the tiles astray). "Did you find anything useful on that prison barge?"

Wordlessly, he dug something out of his pocket and tossed it onto the table. It glinted in the dim light – a necklace with an indigo band of cloth and an intricately carved, pale blue pendant. Iroh immediately recognized its significance.

Jumping to his feet, he pulled Zuko into a bear hug, shouting, "Nephew, this is wonderful! I was beginning to think it would never happen!"

"Uh . . ." was all he could say in response.

Stepping back, Iroh gave both of Zuko's shoulders a gentle squeeze. Smile shifting into a more serious expression, he said, "Now, this is a very delicate matter which I recommend approaching with extreme caution, _especially_ since the waterbender is a friend of the Avatar."

His brow scrunched up, creating a mess of confused lines on his forehead. "I know, that's –"

"Also, I think perhaps you are moving too quickly. I know you are excited and I am very happy for you, but given your history with the girl I think it unwise to propose so suddenly. Instead –"

"_Propose_?" Zuko shouted, good eye widening.

"Well, yes. You've carved a traditional Water Tribe betrothal necklace, so clearly –"

"I didn't _carve_ it! I _found_ it!"

Expression turning to one of disappointment, Iroh clicked his tongueand shook his head, saying, "Now, Prince Zuko, I know you're new to this, but if you want to impress a girl with a gift I suggest –"

"_It's not a gift_," he growled between gritted teeth, fists clenching. "It belongs to _her_ and we're going to use it as _bait_."

"Oh." Iroh's face crumbled at the realization that his nephew was not, in fact, finally showing a normal teenage interest in girls. Once again, it was about the Avatar, and the pretty young waterbender was merely a tool . . .

His eyes lit up as another thought struck him. "Prince Zuko, how do you know it's her necklace? You've been admiring her from afar, haven't you?"

His nephew's face flushed a vibrant shade of red and, with a frustrated growl, he stormed from the room. Iroh watched him, grinning all the while.

He'd come around eventually.

* * *

Author's Notes: _Kind of an indirect take on the prompt (Iroh _thinks_ Zuko has changed, but he really hasn't), but I'm personally pleased with how it turned out. Season one Zutara ftw, amirite? ;D_

**Disclaimer:**** "Avatar: The Last Airbender" and all of its characters are property of Nickelodeon, which I am in no way associated with. **_  
_


	3. Pain

"Hey."

It was a simple greeting, something people said to each other all the time, but that one syllable had Katara glaring ice-daggers like it were the most hateful sound in the known universe.

And to here, it was. Because the normally harmless word had rolled off of _Zuko's_ tongue, filling it with fire and ash and the shrieks of dying children. It was the sound nightmares were made of, a seemingly innocent pre-empt to him slitting her throat with flames, cackling madly as the blood spilled –

"I gathered all the dirty laundry for you."

Blinking, she snapped out of her day-mare and looked at the basket of crumpled garments in his hands. Smiling shyly, he extended it toward her like a peace offering.

Katara snatched it from him, almost spilling the top layer onto the kitchen floor. "Gee, _thanks_. I was so looking forward to cleaning and mending everyone's smelly clothing. You just know _exactly_ how to brighten my day, don't you?"

At first he looked taken aback by her outburst, wide eyes blinking rapidly. Then, scowling, he snapped, "Fine. I'll let you search the temple for it next time. Didn't mean to be such an annoyance."

He stormed from the room and, with a huff, she set down the laundry basket and turned back to the sink filled with the morning's dirty dishes. Plunging her hands into the sudsy water, she frowned; it was cold. The stupid, pain-in-the-ass firebending hadn't made it hot enough, _again!_

Jerk.

XxXx

Pain shot up and down Katara's back as she tried to straighten, her shirt sticking to her sweat-soaked skin. It didn't matter that she was out of direct sunlight and elbow-deep in a basin full of water – it was still sweltering in the courtyard. She dragged the back of her hand across her brow, but it only served to mix lukewarm water with sticky sweat.

"Need some help?" asked the voice of nightmares.

Katara jumped. She hadn't heard him approach, thanks to light feet that had earned him the title of Blue Spirit. Further proof that he was the embodiment of all evil: he enjoyed masquerading as a fearsome demon and stealing from people (the fact that he had also saved Aang and freed Appa was completely irrelevant!).

Instead of yelling at him for being stealthy, however, she simply shot him a look over her shoulder and said, in an icy tone, "No thank-you. You've charred more than enough clothing."

Then she proceeded to ignore him, leaning over the low stone parapet surrounding the pool of water and resuming her washing. Well, actually, she had to a thaw a thin layer of ice first (stupid jerk, making her bend unintentionally. . .), but that was besides the point.

As she scrubbed vigorously at a pair of Sokka's pants with a bar of soap, her back and shoulders started to seize up, muscles protesting against the effort. She tried to hide her discomfort (arctic cobra-lions are known to strike their prey during a moment of weakness), but it proved impossible. Groaning, she paused to stretch out her arms and rotate her shoulders, only to feel a pair of warm hands press against her back.

A simple twist of the wrist raised a water-whip, poised to strike.

"Relax," Zuko said, his thumbs working gentle circles along her spine. "This is something my uncle used to do when I would get muscle cramps after training."

"Why should I believe a back-stabbing scumbag like you?" she asked, keeping her voice low to both sound threatening and hide her pleasure at the massage. Her muscles practically sighed in relief. "For all I know you could be trying to burn me."

Instead of going through his usual "But I'm on your side! I've changed! Why can't you see that?" spiel, Zuko simply scoffed. "You think I'm that stupid? You'd throw me off the mountain in ten seconds flat."

"Mhm," she nodded, trying to disguise a sigh. As her eyes slid shut and his hands grew the slightest bit warmer, thwarting soreness and tension like a hot bath, she made one last, futile attempt to maintain status quo: "You're a pain in the neck, you know that?"

"Am I?" he asked, a grin in his voice (that screams of dying children had vanished, somehow). Hands moving further up her spine, he said, "Guess I'll have to remedy that."

* * *

Author's Notes: _Because I love the old cliche of Zuko giving Katara a back rub, plus I love the image of Zuko doing everything he can to help Katara and getting his head bit off for his efforts. xD Enjoy!_

**Disclaimer:** **"Avatar: The Last Airbender" and all of its characters are property of Nickelodeon, which I am in no way associated with. **_  
_


	4. Date

"Dear Fire Lord Zuko,

Wow, it's been a long time since we've spoken, huh? I guess things have just been so busy, with peace treaties and rebuilds and everything. I bet you've been so swamped with work you haven't even had time to dwell on old friends, though.

Anyway, I was just wondering something. It's kind of a silly idea; you're so busy and everything. But I was just wondering if maybe you wanted to get together for the anniversary? Maybe? It's fine if you don't. Don't even worry about writing back – I know how busy you get.

Sincerely,

Katara of the Southern Water Tribe."

"Katara of the Southern Water Tribe,

Using each other's titles sounds stiff and idiotic. I thought we were better friends than that. I think of you guys constantly.

I'd love to. What anniversary? Sorry for forgetting.

Wish I could write something longer; I really am 'swamped'.

-_ Zuko._"

"Zuko,

I wouldn't be so formal if I'd had an ounce of contact with you the past few months, oh Mighty Ruler. Even just a letter saying 'hi' would've been nice! You can't hear me, but I'm sighing in annoyance right now.

Actually, that's my mistake – I should've clarified in my first letter. I meant the anniversary of the end of the war, and of saving each other's lives. So, I guess that's technically two invites. I should've done less rambling and more explaining, huh?

Sorry if this sounds insensitive, but don't you have like a thousand advisors, plus Mai and Iroh helping out? I would've thought the workload would be more balanced than it is.

-_Katara._

_P.S:_ Why was the paper for you letter bordered with flowers?"

"Katara,

Sorry. I'll be sure to waste paper with one word letters more often.

Has it really been almost a year? Wow. In any case, I'd love to go. Where? Will the others be there? Is it really _two_ separate events?

My father's six former advisors operate according to his old agenda; more work and no benefit. Iroh's running his teashop in Ba Sing Se, and Mai . . .

The paper was going to be for wedding invitations, but we've separated. She's staying with Ty Lee right now. This paper is the only kind I'm allowed to 'waste' on casual correspondence. Sorry for not telling you sooner.

-_Zuko_."

"Zuko,

Hey now, who said anything about wasting? We could just reuse the paper and trade one-word greetings back and forth. That way we know the other hasn't dropped off the face of the planet.

It's been ten months, as of this writing. I'm just giving advanced notice so you have time to clear your schedule. As for the others, I'm not sure – they're all off doing their own thing, so it's hard to get letters to them. You're the only one who has a solid address; Sokka and Suki and the other Kyoshi warriors are travelling around the Earth Kingdom helping rebuild and spreading the good word about you, Aang heard (from some questionable sources) that there might still be Air Nomads hiding Tui-knows where and decided to search for them, and Toph had another falling out with her parents and decided to join Jun as a bounty hunter. If things work out, though, I'm thinking we'll celebrate both the end of the war and our mutual not-getting-killed-by-Azula at the same time in your uncle's tea shop (sorry for forgetting about that, by the way). Hopefully on the exact date of when we all celebrated there last year.

I'm so sorry to hear that. How are you holding up? Do you want to talk about it?

-_Katara_."

"Katara,

Or not.

I still can't believe I forgot. Shame about the others, though. If you get in touch with Sokka and Suki, tell them I say 'Thanks'. I should be able to clear some time and make it to the party. I need a vacation, anyway.

No time for talking, but thanks. How are things with Aang, by the way?

-_Zuko_."

"Zuko,

How about hangman?

You've been busy – it's fine. I shouldn't have gotten so annoyed with you over it. I'll be sure to send the two lovebirds your gratitude, if I'm ever able to find them. At least I know you'll be coming. It feels silly trying to organize an event no one else plans to go to, you know?

Not good, actually. We haven't spoken since he decided to fly off looking for people who are probably dead, and he wasn't even going to tell me about it. He just gets so gung-ho about things and . . . . Well, you know how he is. I was kind of hoping the anniversary party would give us a chance to talk.

-_Katara_."

"Katara,

What does hanging men have to do with anything?

Trust me, I know. It's in the job title.

I'm sorry to hear that, I would suggest we both drown our sorrows, but you're too young and I have too many responsibilities to get drunk. Will the bison whistle work?

-_Zuko_."

"Zuko,

No, it's a game. I write down spaces corresponding to letters in a word or phrase and you have to guess the letters. Every time you get one wrong, a body part gets added until you have a full person hanged. It was Sokka's favourite game when we were kids.

Funny; I thought your title implied more burning and lording than useless planning.

I prefer intense waterbending battles with Pakku and my students in place of alcohol, but thanks. Aang left on his glider, so there's no way to call him back. Appa and Momo really miss him, though – they were nearly inconsolable for the first month. Now they just mope.

-_Katara_."

"Katara,

That sounds stupid. It's still wasted paper.

Ha-ha. I'm rolling my eyes but also smiling. It's been a while since I've done the second; thanks.

So he's broken three hearts by going off on a whim? Fantastic. No _I_ want to find him.

-_Zuko_."

"Zuko,

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _. You have to play or I'll stop writing. Give me five letters.

Glad to hear I make you . . . well, glad. It's the same on this end.

No violence, please. He _is_ the Avatar. There's probably a rule against beating him up.

-_Katara_."

"Katara,

Fine. A, E, I, O, U.

'I'm going to give you a strict talking to' doesn't have quite the same ring as 'I'm going to break your nose'. Besides, he'd be the only person enforcing that law, and you can heal him.

Any word from the others yet?

-_Zuko_."

"Zuko,

I _ i _ _ _ o u. You have a head and a torso.

It has plenty of ring when you're dealing with Aang, or have you forgotten the incident with the Melon Lord? I still say no to hurting him.

No. I'm starting to think it might just be us and your uncle attending. You still want to take time out of your schedule for that?

-_Katara_."

"Katara,

I miss you, too. And I'm _going_ to that party, even if Azula herself shows up.

-_Zuko_."

"Zuko,

Thank-you.

-_Katara._

_P.S:_ You're playing the game wrong."

* * *

Author's Notes: _This was a lot of fun to write - long-distance witty banter! And, yes, I know the Avatarverse uses Chinese calligraphy which doesn't really fit with hangman, but just pretend. -shifty eyes- The spaces for the words won't work, so I apologize if that part was confusing to read. _

**Disclaimer:**** "Avatar: The Last Airbender" and all of its characters are property of Nickelodeon, which I am in no way associated with. **_  
_


	5. Harmony

Zuko's skin was warm against Katara's back as he reached around her to adjust the positioning of her hands, an action that seemed filled with wrongness despite its obvious innocence. There were simply practicing – trading bending forms in hopes of creating more versatile techniques.

Still, they were alone on the palace training grounds and Zuko wasn't wearing a shirt because it was blisteringly hot and every time he laughed at a particularly glaring blunder in her movements the sound made Katara's insides feel like they were being tickled. It was a bizarre sensation, pleasant but horrible. She had felt it when Jet had literally swept her off her feet and into the treetops; she didn't when she was with Aang.

"You spread your fingers too much," Zuko instructed lowly in her ear as he gently forced the splayed digits closer. His breath was warm and he smelt faintly of soap and spices with an undercurrent of sweat.

It was all wrong. He was too close – they needed distance. Where was Aang? Where was Mai? Her heart stuttered – did Zuko feel tickly all over when he was with Mai or when he was with _her_? Part of her hoped it was the latter, the mere idea sending her stomach somersaulting. Then, the muscles in her gut clenching, she realized that was wrong and he had to (_had_ to) love Mai because otherwise they were both horrible, awful, despicable people.

"Now lean into the movement – you firebend with your whole body, not just your arms." As he spoke, he conducted her arms through a series of increasingly familiar motions, pushing himself against her to force her to lean as instructed.

Her mind continued to swirl and her heart continued to pound. The memory of teaching Aang the octopus form suddenly came to mind, bringing with it a double whammy of guilt. Her thoughts then flitted to a moment not terribly long ago, when she pressed water-coated hands to his bare, scorched chest. As his skin moved against hers, she imagined she could feel the contours of his scar on her back. What had that moment meant? Had he outrun lightning merely in the name of friendship?

"Breathe," he instructed, and Katara realized she had been holding her breath, waiting . . . for what?

"In –" he continued to lean into her, this time forcing her to step forward by nudging the back of her left leg "– and out." He drew back, pulling her with him and guiding her arms through sharp movements. As he continued to pull her through the steps of the simple firebending form, he repeated, "You bend with your _whole_ body. It starts in your lungs and spreads through your limbs, and if any part is out of balance the whole thing falls apart."

They continued moving in tandem, the simple flow of movement helping to calm Katara's mind until only one thought remained: love was like firebending. If you didn't feel it with your entire being, you wouldn't get it right.

* * *

Author's Notes: _I'm kinda "meh" about this one. I don't hate it, but I don't love it, either. xP Basically, Zuko and Katara are moving in harmony, but Katara's thoughts are in discord. _

**Disclaimer:**** "Avatar: The Last Airbender" and all of its characters are property of Nickelodeon, which I am in no way associated with. **_  
_


	6. Katara The Vampire Slayer

The words on the page in front of her blurred together in an incomprehensible mess, seeming to slide right off the paper and onto her lap, scuttling away from her prying gaze. Rubbing her eyes, Katara blinked rapidly and checked the page again; the words were right where they belonged, but still looked like gibberish.

"Sokka, you gave me one of your stupid Latin texts!" she grumbled, shoving the book across the table at him.

Catching it before it slid over the edge, her brother shot her a disapproving look and said, "Don't just _throw_ ancient literature! This stuff is incredibly delicate." He plunked the item in question down in front of him, opened it, and began scanning its contents. "Plus, you chose your _own_ stack – I had nothing to do with this. And it's cuneiform, not _Latin_!"

With a huff, she snatched another book from the top of her pile, flipped to a random page, and glared at the words scrawled there. "Will a Troll Vanquishing spell work?"

"Azula's a _vampire_," Zuko said from where he sat against the wall behind her, hunched over a book of his own. They – Sokka, Katara, Zuko, Aang, Toph, and Iroh – were gathered in the back room of the Jasmine Dragon, a tea shop run by Iroh, researching spells and special tactics to use against Azula, the most powerful vampire Katara had ever faced. So far, they hadn't done much besides argue.

It had been easier before, when it was just her, Sokka, Aang, and Iroh. Even Toph hadn't been too bad once they got passed their differences. They had worked well together (mostly), Slaying demons left and right with the power of two Slayers, a warlock (well, sort of), a Watcher, and her obnoxious-but-ingenious brother. Her name had practically caused vampires to flee the city in terror!

Then _they_ came along: Zuko, Azula, Mai, and Ty Lee. They were unlike anything Katara had ever faced, always seeming to emerge victorious in whatever they did. With them around, she felt more helpless and weak than she ever had in her entire life. She hadn't even been able to protect her mom . . .

And now _he_ was fighting on their side, and everything was just _weird_.

"Remind me again why you're here?" Sokka grumbled, shooting the scarred demon a look. "'Cause, honestly, I'm not seeing the benefit. I say we just stake him."

"You can _try_," Zuko dared, muscles tensing in preparation.

Aang was out of his seat and standing between the pair in a flash, holding his hands up in the universal gesture for "stop". Looking from one boy to the other, he said, "C'mon, guys, we all agreed Zuko's knowledge and skills are a valuable asset. Let's just set our differences aside and get this mess taken care of."

"Twinkle Toes is right," Toph chimed in, giving up all pretence of helping research as she kicked both feet up on the table – on top of an open book (Sokka cringed). "If we dust Sunshine over there, we'll be short one guy who can actually resist Soul-Sucker's power."

"Her name's Mai," he corrected in a mumble as Aang, seeing that the situation was resolved, returned to his seat. Rolling his eyes at Iroh, Zuko said, "Honestly, uncle, why would you ever choose to work with these idiots instead of family? The Slayer can't even tell the difference between a vampire and a troll."

The look he gave her – so smug and condescending – made Katara's blood boil. In an instant she was out of her chair, snapping off one of the wooden bars that composed its back, and grabbing Zuko by his throat, arm drawn back in preparation to strike. For a moment, he looked shocked – frightened, even.

Then he was grinning, grabbing her staking-hand and ever-so-slowly rising to his full height. It wasn't until he was staring down at her that he asked, voice low and laced with a threat, "You sure that's such a bright idea?"

"Katara," Iroh scolded, now standing directly behind her as opposed to remaining seated at the head of the long table. "Put down the stake and step away from my nephew."

"Hey!" Sokka shouted, jumping to his feet and jabbing a finger toward the old man. "You're playing family favourites! No fair!"

At the same time, Aang muttered something in what sounded like Latin; Katara instantly felt calm course through her veins, which only made her even angrier (or, well, it made her _think_ about how angry she should be). At least it seemed to have a similar affect on Zuko, if the way his once-tense jaw line suddenly softened was any indication. Releasing him, she slumped back into her chair, letting Iroh take the makeshift stake from her.

"Aw, Twinkles!" Toph moaned, punching the boy beside her in the shoulder. "It's not like she'd actually _dust_ him. I was looking forward to a good brawl!"

"Can we please focus on the issue at hand?" Iroh asked, a rare trace of impatience in his tone. Sensing certain doom would befall them if they acted otherwise, they all complied and returned to the tedious task of researching.

XxXx

"Remind me again why you have to come patrolling?" Katara asked as she meandered through the cemetery, shooting Zuko a side-long glare.

His usual infuriating smirk was present and accounted for as he kept pace with long, slow strides, stepping over gnarled tree roots and ruined headstones with an ease that rivalled her own. "I'm the only one who can withstand Mai's power. You never know where she might turn up."

"I could resist her soul sucking!"

"Emotion draining," he corrected boredly, looking tempted to roll his eyes at such idiocy. "And, if memory serves me right, the last time you faced off against her you ended up curled in a ball crying your eyes out."

Her cheeks flared red, fists clenching as anger surged alongside embarrassment. She stopped dead in her tracks, forcing him to stop and face her as she yelled, "That's different! I was already emotionally unstable thanks to _you_ killing my mom!"

He crossed the short distance between them with alarming speed, face contorted in rage without actually letting his fangs out. "_I did not kill your mother!_"

She almost flinched at the force of his fury, but held strong, refusing to show weakness. Head titled slightly so she could look him in the eye, she waited for his words to stop reverberating off headstones before whispering, in a voice as quiet as his was loud, "So says the vampire."

His hands clamped onto her shoulders, tight enough to hurt as he leaned in so close their foreheads almost touched, hissing, "You wanna know why I'm helping you? Why I don't just suck you dry right here?"

Instinctively, Katara reached for the stake she kept attached to her belt, eyes narrowing at him in an "I-dare-you-to-try-it" gesture.

But Zuko made no move to bite her, continuing to speak in a low voice that shook with anger. "_Azula_. It's because of Azula. Nearly every problem I've ever faced in my life is _her_ fault. This?" His face shifted to reveal a bumpy and mutated forehead, eyeteeth extending into razor sharp fangs. "_This_ is her fault. She bit me and turned me into this because _uncle_ was training me to be a watcher."

"You were in training to be a watcher?" Katara wanted to ask, but could only stare, dumbfounded, as his face returned to normal. His expression no longer looked enraged or bloodthirsty, but instead desperate. As he stared down at her, hazel eyes seeming to plead, she was struck by just how _human_ he looked.

"I _hate_ this," he said at last, grip on her shoulders loosening while his own body appeared to deflate. "I hate how my first thought whenever I look at someone is about their _blood_, I . . . I want revenge on Azula."

The pair stood in silence for a moment, his hands still on her shoulders, their gazes locked. It wasn't unfamiliar territory – they stared each other down practically every second they were together – but this was different somehow. The air around them had changed, full of tension yet lacking the usual sense of danger.

In an effort to distract herself, Katara said (well, _stuttered_), "So, um . . . y-your pretty young. For a vampire, I mean."

"Yeah, it's only been about twenty years or so," he mumbled, eyes drifting down to her exposed neck. Licking his lips in what she hoped was a nervous gesture, he asked, "Does it make sense that I don't want to kill you, but I want to drain every drop of blood from your body?"

"Not really," she murmured distantly, lids growing heavy as he leaned closer. It was strange, having him so near but feeling no breath . . .

A hand exploded from the earth beside them. They sprang apart, scrambling for their weapons as the newborn vampire rose from its grave.

"We never speak of this again," Zuko grunted as he caught the demon from behind, one arm looped tightly around its neck.

Staking it, Katara pulled back and watched it turn to dust, panting and saying, "No argument here."

* * *

Author's Notes: _[Cue kick-ass opening theme] 8D This had to be done. _

_Also, I hope no one is offended by my choice for Mai's abilities - I'm actually a fan of her character and think she had potential to be really interesting. If it's any consellation, Ty Lee is a succubus._

**Disclaimer:**** "Avatar: The Last Airbender" and all of its characters are property of Nickelodeon, which I am in no way associated with. "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" and all of its characters are property of Mutant Enemy, which I am also in no way associated with. **_  
_


	7. Storm

Rain had pounded the beach house for three days, turning everything to mud and slurry as increasingly high waves overtook the shoreline. Everyone was forced to stay inside, no escape from each other or the storm or the staccato rhythm of water hitting the roof.

Sitting at one of the windows in the front room, his arms folded on the sill and his chin resting on his arms, Aang watched rivulets streak down the windowpane. Sighing heavily, he whined, "Sifu Hotman, I'm _bored_. Do we really have to stay in?"

"Don't call me that," the teen in question snapped, looking from the swords he polished on his lap to glare at the boy. It was just the two of them and Katara sitting in the sparsely furnished room – which was dirty in spite of everyone's best efforts to clean the years' worth of grime – and just plain _dreary_. The others had wandered off to another area of the house, Sokka and Suki in hopes of scoring some alone time, and Toph to make sure they _didn't_.

Irritation dissipating, Zuko added, "And yes, you do. It might not seem like much right now, but these storms can turn very bad, very fast. You of all people should know that."

Slumping against the window, Aang moaned, "It's just _rain_. What'll a few minutes outside do?"

"Kill you," Zuko said bluntly, turning his attention back to his weapons. His distorted reflection scowled back at him, the metal of the blades well beyond gleaming. Sighing, he set them aside; no sense polishing them anymore.

"We can't even sit out on the porch?"

"_No_."

Huffing, Aang got to his feet and stalked out of the room, muttering something about playing with Momo. In the same moment, Katara – sprawled on the floor and staring up at the ceiling – scoffed. "I've seen bigger."

"What?"

Rolling onto her stomach, she propped herself up on her elbows, supporting her chin with both hands. "Your Fire Nation storms don't impress me."

"Oh?" he snorted, crossing his arms and meeting her gaze with eyes narrowed in challenge. "This could last for _days_. Weeks, even."

"Have you ever even _seen_ a blizzard before?"

His limbs felt cold at the mere memory, and for a second he was back at the North Pole, lugging Aang's limp body through blinding wind and snow. Shrugging, he tried to sound nonchalant as he said, "Yeah, during the siege up north. Doesn't seem that bad."

"That," she said, letting out a bark of laughter, "hardly even _qualifies_ compared to what I lived through back home. You'd collapse in a minute."

"I've got a built in heat source – I'd be _fine_."

A smirk tugged at the corner of her lips as she pushed herself completely upright. "And _I've_ got a built in umbrella. Or have you forgotten about our little field trip already?"

"It was hardly even drizzling. Plus, you would only be able to keep that up for a minute. _Maybe_."

"Are you doubting the strength of a waterbending master?" she asked, raising her eyebrows and slowly rising to her feet.

"No," he said, following suit and never breaking eye-contact. "I just know your limits."

"Really?" She planted both hands on her hips, shifting her weight to one foot.

"Yeah."

They stood across from each other, staring one another down as rain continued to assault the house. Zuko couldn't help letting a small smile slip; her argumentative nature didn't ease up even after she had forgiven him. He wasn't sure he would have wanted it to. _Not_ having her start petty fights with him all the time would've been unbearably weird.

A flash of movement pulled him from thoughts as, without warning, Katara bolted for the door. He reacted without thought, pursuing and grabbing for her wrist as her fingers closed around the doorknob.

The door blew open with surprising force, wind howling angrily as it tore through the house. Katara stumbled back, colliding with Zuko's chest, then yelped and tried to run. Both his arms had wrapped tightly around her waist, however, offering no room for escape as she squirmed against his hold, bushy brown hair tickling his face.

"What're you doing?" Sokka shouted over the wind, standing in the doorway connecting the room to the hallway, Suki at his side.

Zuko opened his mouth to answer, but had no chance to get the words out before a torrent of water slammed his side, throwing him and Katara to the floor. The sudden impact shocked him into loosening his grip, allowing her to dart out into the rain. Groaning as he got to his feet, he made a mental note to restrain her _arms_ next time.

"Hey!" Aang shouted indignantly, joining Sokka. "How come she's allowed outside?"

"She's _not_," Zuko grumbled as he carefully descended the slick front steps, looking in every direction for the renegade waterbender.

Then he saw her and stopped dead in his tracks.

A few yards down the beach, Katara extended her arms toward the sky, letting the water soak her to her skin and grinning face-splittingly wide the whole time. She spun in a slow circle, sand and mud caking her feet and ankles and sprinkling her legs. Hands falling to rest on the top of her head, she titled her face up and stuck out her tongue, drinking water fresh from the clouds. The rain continued to pour relentlessly, the one thing it couldn't render ugly dancing among its drops.

Then Katara turned, loose hair plastered to her face and neck and shoulders, and caught him staring.

Swallowing, he tried to scowl at her antics and failed. Pushing his sopping bangs out of his eyes, he settled on weakly shouting, "You'll catch a cold."

She appeared to snort, the soft noise not carrying through the wind and rain, and beckoned him closer with a jerk of her head and a vibrant smile. His feet moved automatically, guiding him across the beach with wet smacks on the sand, the dirt clinging to his bare skin. The normally icky feeling of mud between his toes barely registered as he approached, completely unable to look away from the soaked and smiling girl in front of him.

"Huh?" he asked intelligently when reached her.

Wordlessly, she stepped closer until he could feel her breath on his face, slowly raising her arms over her head. In an instant, the rain around them stopped, collecting in a bubble. Katara titled her head and quirked an eyebrow, saying, "I think you'll keep me plenty warm."

Forcing himself to see a sassy, irritating waterbender instead of a beautiful, dripping girl (did the difference really matter?), Zuko smirked and said, "You still won't be able to hold on for more than a minute."

What felt like a cloud's worth of water collapsed onto his head.

* * *

Author's Notes: _I'm not entirely happy with how this one turned out, but it'll do. xP_

_I hope everyone's had a fun Zutara Week and that you enjoyed my drabbles! =D Here's hoping there's many more years of celebration to come!_

**Disclaimer: "Avatar: The Last Airbender" and all of its characters are property of Nickelodeon, which I am in no way associated with. **_  
_


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